International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Review of Potential Thermoelectric Energy
Harvesting using Seebeck Effect
Hanaa Kadhim Alsabahi, Ali Jaber Alkhakani
M. Sc. Student,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University Putra Malaysia
Azizan Asarry,
Lecturer,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University Putra Malaysia
Abstract Now a days, the world tend to use renewable
energy such as wind, solar, and biomass energy to dispensing
on fossil fuel and saved other type of energy like electricity.
Thermoelectric based on Seebeck effect an important
technique that used as a renewable energy to produce
electricity by harvesting waste heat from applications that
produce thermal energy as a result of its operation. This study
presented review of thermoelectric which based on Seebeck
effect with its historical, cost, and applications in engine and
human body. This review show that the thermoelectric
application could be classified based on average power which
generated as low power generation (human applications) and
high power generation (internal combustion engine
applications). The review show that the voltage generated from
thermoelectric generator as a result of heat harvesting from
engine application is more than that generated as a result of
heat harvesting from human body application.
KeywordsSeebeck; Peltier; Thermoelectric; Energy
Harvesting;
I. INTRODUCTION
Green technologies like wind, solar, hydrogenation and
biomass energy are develop to solve energy problems.
Further, new energy from different surrounding energy
sources such as vibration, heat and noise can be changed over
into electrical energy. Energy harvesting one of the most
important type of green technologies which increased
attention to reducing dependence on fossil fuel [1], [2]. The
present researcher moving towards new technologies like
thermoelectric technology to convert thermal energy into
electrical energy [3]. Thermoelectric (TE) mention a
relationship between electrical and thermal phenomena and
defined as a technology and science related to the cooling and
power generation by using Peltier and Seebeck effects
respectively, in other words, it is solid-state that convert
thermal energy directly to electricity or electric power to
cooling or heating power [4]. By increasing requirement for
clean energy sources, the clean energy from the
thermoelectric phenomenon is the truth worthy of research
and study [5]. Other things that should be considered in green
technology is the energy cost. Energy cost is a very critical
point in many applications, therefore, using thermoelectric
devices are the best option for power generation source [6].
IJERTV4IS110207
(This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.)
Vol. 4 Issue 11, November-2015
Nor Mariah Adam,
Associate Professor,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University Putra Malaysia
Both of generating and refrigerating process can be used by
thermoelectric devices (TE). Thermoelectric generator
(TEG) is generating power depending on Seebeck effect,
while thermoelectric coolers (TECs) or thermoelectric
modules (TEMs) are depending on Peltier effect [7], [8]. In
spite of thermoelectric has been known before 190 years,
there are still not spreads well application in the world due to
low efficiencies of commercial modules [1]. Both two types
of thermoelectric have an endless shelf life, highly reliable,
environmentally friendly, scalable, no mechanical parts,
silent in operation, small size and light in weight, as well as,
it is required much less maintenance comparing with other
devices [1], [9], [10]. This study presented thermoelectric
review and classified according to its development,
application in engine and human body, and economic in order
to easy search and study.
II. THERMOELECTRIC MODEL DESCRIPTION
Basically, a thermoelectric module which is using in the
electricity generation has a thermo element. The thermo
element involve from Bismuth telluride (2 3 ) material
which is one of the commercial semiconductors that used in
thermoelectric device. There are two semiconductors (n-type
and p-type) which connected in series and parallel, current
and heat flow in the same direction through (n-type)
semiconductor, and heat flow in opposite directions of
current flow in (p-type) (see fig. 1) [11], [12]. Consequently,
a large number of thermo elements are electrically connected
in series in order to increase the operating voltage and
thermally connected parallel in order to increase the thermal
conductivity. All this arrangement are fixed between two
ceramic plates covered cold and hot sides [3], [7], [13], [14].
In thermoelectric module the voltage in open circuit is
proportional with temperature gradient. Thermoelectric
efficiency can be expressed as the rate between electrical
powers P to heat transfer Q across thermoelectric.
= (1)
The conduction heat transfer can be expressed as [15]
[17].
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 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 4 Issue 11, November-2015

= . (6)
= (2)

= (3) D.M. Rowe (1995) explain that because limitation of
Where: temperature gradient, the application were still not
progressing rapidly until 1930s when semiconductors have
: Thermoelectric efficiency % been discovered [24].
: Thermoelectric power (W)
: Heat transfer through thermoelectric IV. THERMOELECTRIC APPLICATIONS
: Thermal conductivity
Thermoelectric applications have been seen in a wide
: Heat transfer surface area
areas such as industrial, avionics, military, medical,
: Thermoelectric thickness
telecommunic-ations laboratory and scientific field [4].
However, widely thermoelectric devices obtainable have low
efficiency by around 5-10% comparing with other
technologies. Thermoelectric device is controlled by the
several parameters such as, the figure of merit , cross
sectional area and length of thermoelectric elements, hot and
cold end temperatures, contact resistance and load resistance.
All this parameters or factors explain the guidelines to boost
thermoelectric efficiency in the future studies [10], [25], [26].
1) Engine Applications
Liang depended on exhaust gas with low temperature
Fig.1. (a) Thermoelectric generator TEG. (b) Thermoelectric cooler (TEG) 2 3 one and two stage, he proved that when the
TEC [18]. temperature under 800 K and single stage TEG the
performance is better than one two stage TEG while the
III. THERMOELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT performance of two-stage is better than one stage TEG at hot
In 1821, Thomas Seebeck noticed that a circuit made source is higher than 800 K [27].
from two dissimilar metals at different temperature with S.R.Jumade presented a survey on thermoelectric
junctions would deflect a compass magnet [8], [19]. In 1822 technology when using in internal combustion engine in
and 1823 Thomas Seebeck discovered voltage generated at order to recover waste heat energy and demonstrates
the junction conductors or semiconductors when the thermoelectric material, compared and evolution between
junctions subjected to a temperature gradient [5]. many thermoelectric generators [28].
Crane got 40 W/L as net power densities when he used
= (4)
2 3 thermoelectric from heat exchangers. His modules
Where: depended on the waste heat in air cooling [29].
: Seebeck coefficient
: Voltage According to Chien Chang Wang designed
Peltier discovered in 1834 that producing heating or thermoelectric devices converted environmentally friendly
cooling when electrical current flow through two junctions of energy in an air cooling with two stage heat sink, the output
dissimilar metals after that Lenz found in 1838 that heating power thermoelectric generator density is advanced by
or cooling process depending on current flow direction 88.7% and the heat sink efficiency has been decreased about
through the metals [20]. 20.93% according to normal case. The author recommended
that the optimum result of power density when the frontal
area of the heat sink increase and length of the heat sink
= (5)
decrease [30].
Where: According to Hsiao the maximum power, current and
: Peltier coefficient maximum power density is 0.43W, 0.35A, and
: Current 51.13mW2 respectively are generated from the module
: Heat flow rate which arranged on IC engine. At temperature different
290C, the maximum power has been produced. The
Lord Kelvin (William Thomson) in (1855) found that the performance of the module on the exhaust pipe higher than
Seebeck and Peltier effects are different appearance of one the performance on the radiator in the same module [31].
effect and present the relationship between the Seebeck In Brazil, year 2011 the number of cars was 39,832,919
coefficient and Peltier coefficient as equation (6) [21] at the same month in 2012 the total of cars was 42,682,111.
[22]. After that many research have been interested like This obviously during one year the percentage increase
Christophe Goupil presented thermodynamics of about 7.15%. The expected number of cars will be reach to
thermoelectricity [14]. D.M.Rowe present an 4,272,478 toe/year. So it is expected to increase the emission
environmentally friendly that generated power [23]. Snyder of carbon and air pollution. As in common, the theoretical
explained complex thermoelectric materials in output of combustion engine about 33%. Brazilian have
thermoelectric technology [19]. been examined how much could be utilized from energy

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 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 4 Issue 11, November-2015

source if the thermoelectric modules has been used in V. COST CONSIDERATIONS

airplane, ceramics industry and new cars. Especially from
combustion engine when using thermoelectric module the The manufacture cost of TE material and device is
power is a friendly environment, clean and no emission of extremely depend on its manufacture technology and
carbon. Furthermore The amount of saving or utilization marketing. As a result of expansion of TE materials, the cost
of TEG will be lower costs. The material composition have
about 8.64 % [32].
strong effect on the TE material cost. Regarding to material,
Yuchao Wang used exhaust gas as heat source of TEG the material cost of some TE types are shown in table (1)
and presented that when internal resistance is lower than [40].
external resistance the efficiency and maximum power of
Leblanc Proved that the cost of thermoelectric is directly
TEG become clear [33].
proportional with heat transfer coefficient U (mW/2 .K),
N.D.Love show that decreasing in module efficiency as shown in fig. (2). In some application the bulk TE
between 0.95% to 0.6% and increase in overall module material cost of approximately 1$/W when the temperature
output power between 2 to 3.8 [34]. up to 275C of thermoelectric material [40].
A. Human Applications Bed Poudel developed nanostructure synthesis
From human body heat TE shirt has been fabricate in procedure which has low cost method, so this technique
order to generate power at ambient temperature 15C the developed the performance of TEG [41].
power has been generated is 5 mW and 0.5 mW at ambient According to Cronin B. Vining about 13US$ million has
temperature 27C. After 9 months of using this shirt been shared from US Department of Energy to support and
produced more energy if it has worn about 10 h/day. TE shirt develop thermoelectric technology [42].
is made from cotton layer so it is comfortable to human skin.
This power suitable for low supplying power which use for D.M.Rowe in 1999 explained that the cost is not major
example health monitoring devices [35]. consideration in special application such as medical,
military and space application [24].
At a temperature gradient is 15 K the power has been
generated by dispenser printing technique from human body
is 224 W, 15.8 and 14.2 when TEG applied on the
human body. The TEG was designed based on Seebeck
effect therefore the power which generated proportional
with temperature gradient, in this module of TEG the hot
side is human body and cold side was ambient temperature.
TEG could be able to generate more than 146.8 when the
ambient temperature is 5C [36].
Yong Du fabricated TEG device which produced output
voltage of 4.3mW when temperature gradient is 75.2 K to
harvest energy from human body [37].
The voltage which generated between 120 mV to 240
mV and maximum current reach to 18 mA at temperature
gradient 3K to 6K when the cold side was ambient
temperature and hot side was human body [38]. Exchanger Heat Transfer Coefficient, U ( /
2 . )
Marianne Lossec study the best size of TEG with and
without using heat sink when TE generate electrical power Fig. 2. The cost of heat exchangers related to overall heat transfer
from human body [39]. coefficient, or U-value [43]. The slope is the heat exchanger cost per
thermal conductance. The figure is reproduced from [44].

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 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 4 Issue 11, November-2015

Table (1) Material identification table

Material type ID Material name Manufacturing type Material cost ($/Kg)

Chalcogenides and SiGe 1 2 3 Bulk 110
2 0.52 1.48 3 Bulk 125
3 0.52 1.48 3 Nanobulk 125
4 0.54 0.46 Nanowire 84
5 (0.0283 0.945 0.9733 ) Nanobulk 81
(1.11 0.555 )
6 Bi-doped Pb0.98 0.02 / superlattice 55
7 Ag 18 20 Bulk 84
8 SiGe Bulk 679
9 80 20 Nanobulk 371
10 SiGe Nanowire 679
Silicides 11 2 0.85 015 Nanobulk 6.67
12 2 0.6 0.4 Bulk 4.04
13 Si Nanobulk 3.09
14 Si Nanowire 3.09
15 Mn1.75 Bulk 1.46
16 15 28 Nanobulk 1.51
Clathrates 17 `8 16 28 2 Bulk 615
18 8 16 30 Bulk 644
19 7 1 16 30 Bulk 1.64
Skutterudites 20 Ce4 12 Bulk 37
21 0.2 0.2 4 12 Bulk 24
22 0.18 3.97 0.03 12.40 Bulk 13
Oxides 23 (0.98 0.02 ) Bulk 2.30
24 2.4 0.3 0.3 4 9 Bulk 30
25 InGaZnO Nanowire 511
26 0.7 2 Bulk 36
Half Heuslers 27 0.25 0.25 0.5 0.994 0.006 Bulk 9.71
28 0.5 0.5 0.8 0.2 0.99 0.01 Bulk 8.51
29 0.8 0.2 Bulk 10.70
Other 30 PEDOT:PSS Polymer 0.34

VI. CONCLUSION
In this study has been classified thermoelectric
application in two main parts engine and human application.
The voltage generated from thermoelectric generator as a
result of heat harvesting from engine application is more than
that generated as a result of heat harvesting from human body
application. Usually thermoelectric generator used in
medical application which is need low power. The result
from this review the thermoelectric application could be
classified based on average power which generated:
Low power generated: like human body application
this small power enough to utilized in medical
devices or watch battery or employment hot water
across pipes to convert waste heat into electricity in
electronic chip which us in control systems.
High power generated: like industries applications
and internal combustion engines which have high
waste heat so the power generated is acceptable
result.
As a result of development of material technology the
thermoelectric promising perfect future.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The financial support by University Putra Malaysia grant
for post graduate (IPS) program is highly acknowledged.
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